DESRI Breaks Ground on 270-MW Solar and Storage Portfolio in New Mexico, Targeting 600 Construction Jobs
According to Solar Power World, renewable energy developer DESRI has broken ground on a pair of solar-plus-storage projects in San Juan County, New Mexico, totaling 270 MW of solar capacity and 720 MWh of battery storage. The projects are expected to reach commercial operations in 2027, with peak construction employment of approximately 600 workers.
Background
The two projects, reported by Solar Power World, are distinct in both size and offtake structure. Foxtail Flats Solar and Storage will deliver 170 MW of solar paired with an 80-MW/320-MWh battery system, contracted under a long-term power purchase agreement with the Incorporated County of Los Alamos. Four Mile Mesa Solar and Storage will be a 100-MW solar project paired with a 100-MW/400-MWh battery system, procured through PNM’s Rate 36B to support Meta’s data center operations.
Both projects are sited on land owned by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, adjacent to DESRI’s existing San Juan Solar and Storage facility and the retired San Juan Generating Station. SOLV Energy has been named the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for both facilities. TAGC is participating as an equity investor in the projects.
“These projects build on the success of our adjacent San Juan Solar and Storage facility and reflect DESRI’s commitment to the region’s clean energy transition,” said Thomas de Swardt, president of DESRI. Alok Sindher, managing partner at TAGC, added that the projects “will employ approximately 600 construction personnel at their peak and add energy and capacity to the local grid.”
Analysis
This groundbreaking signals something field operators in the Southwest should watch closely: large-scale solar development is pushing deeper into New Mexico, and the project structure here reflects a maturing market. Having a hyperscaler like Meta as an anchor offtaker, alongside a county government and a major utility like PNM, demonstrates that utility-scale solar in the region is no longer speculative. These are bankable, contracted projects with a clear commercial path.
The site’s proximity to the retired San Juan Generating Station is also notable from a logistics standpoint. Former coal and gas generation sites often bring existing transmission infrastructure, road access, and laydown areas, factors that can compress mobilization timelines and reduce upfront site preparation costs for contractors working under an EPC structure.
SOLV Energy holding the prime EPC contract means the subcontractor pipeline flows through them. For field service companies without a direct relationship with DESRI, building or strengthening a relationship with SOLV Energy is the practical path to work on projects of this type.
The 720 MWh of combined battery storage across the two projects also signals ongoing demand for specialized battery installation, commissioning, and integration crews, a skill set that remains in short supply across much of the Southwest.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Peak employment of 600 workers across both projects means significant subcontract volume in civil, electrical, mechanical, and commissioning disciplines, with work expected to ramp through 2026 and into 2027.
- SOLV Energy is the named EPC contractor. Subcontractors seeking work on these projects should focus outreach there, not on DESRI directly.
- San Juan County, New Mexico is the target market. Companies with existing mobilization capacity in the Four Corners region, or those willing to establish it, are best positioned to compete.
- Battery storage scope is substantial. The 720 MWh of combined BESS across both projects creates demand for crews with battery installation and commissioning experience, a differentiator worth highlighting in any bid or outreach.
- The 2027 commercial operations target suggests active construction through much of 2026, giving subcontractors a narrow but real window to get into the procurement pipeline now.
